Francesc Rigol

The final version of The Giving Bear that I have in my personal Pooh library is a straight-up reprint of the original version included in this collection of six Isabel Gaines books from the Winnie the Pooh First Reader series. Let's review the stories one by one.

Tiggers Hate to Lose - 2 stars
Tigger throws a tantrum when he can't beat Eeyore at Pooh sticks. But rather than teaching Tigger good sportsmanship, the story let's him salvage pride with a last-second victory.

The Giving Bear - 2 stars
I dislike the way Pooh's friends peer pressure him into giving away spare honey pots for a charity drive.

Eeyore Finds Friends - 3 stars
Eeyore sulks since everyone else has already paired off without him on a Twos-day. Fortunately, Piglet and Pooh invite him to a threesome. Bonus star for making me snicker inappropriately over a Pooh story! The title page of the story says its an adaptation, but I have no idea what it could possibly be adapting.

Pooh's Surprise Basket - 3 stars
In this sweet story, Pooh inadvertently recreates May Day one spring morning as he thoughtfully creates flower baskets that perfectly match the personalities of his friends in the Hundred-Acre Wood and secretly deposits them on their doorsteps. This too claims to be an adaptation with no source I can determine. What's funny is that there is a further adaptation of this reader, an expanded storybook version that was published a couple years later under the title Pooh's Basket of Surprises in the Jellybean Books imprint.

Be Quiet, Pooh! - 3 stars
Rabbit learns the uselessness of placing signs in a forest where most of the other inhabitants are illiterate. Amusing.

Pooh's Scavenger Hunt - 2 stars
Christopher Robin sends the Pooh friends hunting for three concrete objects and one very sappy ending.

So, as a collection it's a bit middling, but we'll round up for Pooh.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Tiggers Hate to Lose / written by Isabel Gaines, illustrated by Francesc Rigol -- The Giving Bear / written by Isabel Gaines, illustrated by Josie Yee -- Eeyore Finds Friends / adapted by Isabel Gaines, illustrated by Josie Yee -- Pooh's Surprise Basket / adapted by Isabel Gaines, illustrated by Josie Yee -- Be Quiet, Pooh! / written by Isabel Gaines, illustrated by Josie Yee -- Pooh's Scavenger Hunt / written by Isabel Gaines, illustrated by Studio Orlando

(My Pooh Project: I love Winnie the Pooh, and so does my wife. Having a daughter gave us a chance to indoctrinate her into the cult by buying and reading her every Pooh book we came across. How many is that? I’m going to count them this year by reading and reviewing one every day and seeing which month I finally run out. Track my progress here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23954351-rod-brown?ref=nav_mybooks&she... )… (altro)